Seabird Foraging Changes:

Seabird Foraging Image ©BenLascelles

The claim has been made based on data that biologists have collected over the last 40 years that looks at the foraging trips and breeding success that the birds have taken part in. The results show that the albatrosses have most certainly changed their behavior and are actually flying further due to increased wind speeds which have increased the speed that they fly. This means that they spend less time foraging and have actually gained an average of a kilogram in weight. Their breeding success has also improved with these changes as well.

At the moment these changes are positive but if things continue to change and predictions are correct then these changes could soon become negative quite quickly.

The birds were tracked using tiny tracking devices that allowed the researchers to follow the birds wherever they went as far as 3500km away. The data showed that the birds have changed how and where they search for food and mates in accordance with how wind patterns have changed. This meant that the speed at which they travel has increased meaning although they still travel the same distance, meaning that they spend less time at sea and more time incubating their eggs and breeding, hence the increased breeding success.

The change in wind patterns has been a good thing for albatrosses so far. However, predictions show that westerly winds will move further south by 2080 and this could mean that the birds need to fly much further in order to find suitable flying conditions.

It is estimated that there are around eight thousand breeding pairs of albatrosses at present. The main threats are the introduction of alien species like rats and cats, damage to their environment and incidental catch.

This research has shown the first real map that shows the habits of albatrosses and how they have evolved with changing conditions. The albatross actually sits at the top of its food chain and has no natural predator; therefore it is the climate changes, environmental changes and man himself that poses the big threats to this huge bird that has a wingspan of well over three meters.

The tracking and data will continue to be used in order to track continuing changes and the effects caused by climate change.

Author Bio:

Keith Barrett takes a keen interest in a wide variety of environmental issues. He also writes occasional articles for a number of respected environmental news websites.

Solar thermal energy, the main source of renewable energy is collected from sun and utilized for generating heat. The heat is generally concentrated with the help of mirrors and then utilized in heating water. Apart from being available for free, solar thermal energy’s constant supply and abundance makes it an amazing source of energy. Consumers require hot water in residences as well as businesses or even heat it till it turns to steam used for generating electricity and turning turbines. Despite having a couple of advantages, solar thermal energy also has several drawbacks. What follows are the pros and cons of Solar Thermal Energy.

Solar Thermal Energy Pros:

Renewable: One of the main advantages of solar thermal energy is that unlike energy produced from fossil fuels like coal, petroleum and natural gas, solar energy is renewable. As a result this technology is more reliable compared to long-term, thereby freeing owners from the concern about replenishing it. Solar thermal energy can help to make countries energy-independent by cutting down the energy they need to import.

Low Maintenance: Solar thermal energy installation is usually of low maintenance. In contrast to devices which produce energy from natural gas or coal, consumers after installing solar energy gadgets can leave them single-handedly for long periods. Unlike intricate electricity generating facilities, solar thermal arrays require smaller work crews for running it. Several solar thermal devices like those which heat hot water require simpler technology compared to photovoltaic panels.

Non-Polluting:  Another major advantage of this renewable energy source is that it is non-polluting. It produces almost negligible pollutants like greenhouse gases or toxic chemicals. With the rise in concerns regarding the negative consequences of climate change, the solar thermal energy offers a safe alternative over traditional energy sources, maximum percentage of which produce heavy carbon loads. The heat produced, unlike heat emitted by burning of the natural gas, generates no carbon emissions.

Apart from these, solar thermal energy also has a couple of other advantages such as availability across the world, tax incentives, well proven technology, and well suited for offering power in both home as well as single building applications.

Solar Thermal Energy Cons:

Inconsistent: Gadgets cannot emit solar thermal power with the stability of maximum fossil fuels, thereby unable to generate solar energy after dark or on cloudy days. As a result, it makes solar thermal energy an unreliable energy source and contributing to its expenditure, as those depending on solar energy should contain back-up power sources.

Storage: Solar thermal energy unlike fossil fuels cannot be stored which contributes to their unreliability. Users are not capable of producing large quantity of energy for emergencies or later consumption. Turbine generated electricity can be preserved in batteries, but the storage is inefficient and costly. Hot water on the other hand cannot be kept for long periods devoid of large heat loss.

No Electricity Generation: Solar thermal power systems are only capable of providing water heating function but you cannot produce electricity from it. If you require electricity from the Sun, then you will require installing Solar PV system.

Apart from these, solar thermal energy also has other drawbacks such as negative aesthetics, land intensive, high initial investment; and climate variability.

Solar thermal energy is mostly used for cooking, heating as well as desalination of seawater. It comes with both advantages as well as disadvantages. There are a couple of assorted solar calculators, packages and panel kits which can help you in deciding as to whether solar energy is apt for you.

Solar Thermal Energy Video Tutorial - Harnessing the Power of the Sun

The video embedded below shows the use of solar thermal energy for different applications in Europe. Interviews with users and manufacturers to know the financial and environmental benefits of this clean energy technology. Though this renewable energy source has high initial cost but in the long run, it can save you a good amount of money and help reducing your carbon impact too.

About the author:

Samantha Harper is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of gadgets. Recently an article on green architecture attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on Solar Lighting

Biodegradable Products

With the continuous advancements in the field of technology, the number of gadgets are increasing at an alarming rate. These gadgets are a source of enjoyment and comfort for humans, but the effect, that they have on our planet can be devastating. The metal and plastic that is used to make these products have been accumulating since long and are already poisoning the environment. If proper control measures are not taken on time, the results can be dreadful. The only way to stop this pollution is by being eco-friendly in our activities. Use of biodegradable products and biodegradable gadgets can be one of the easiest eco-friendly ways that we can adopt. Biodegradable products and gadgets are easily degraded and, thus, do not have any harmful effect on the environment. Here is a list of five best biodegradable products and gadgets that can help us to keep our earth clean and green.

Biodegradable Paper Timepiece:

Altanus manufactures the world’s first paper watch, which is very unique and is completely biodegradable. These watches are called Patch and they look very stylish. Patch comes with an LED display and is completely water proof as well as shock proof. These watches are also very light in weight, each weighing around 11 grams. You can buy these funky watches for $33.50 and they are available in 10 different colors.

NEC N701i Eco Phone:

With mobile phones being so essential these days, it is better to switch over to an eco-friendly phone that would be less harmful to the environment once it is discarded. NEC presents the new N701i eco phone, 70 percent of which has been made out of a special biodegradable plastic. This plastic is made from a plant called Kenaf and poly-lactic acid that is extracted from corn and potatoes.

Corky Mouse:

Designer Adele Peter has come up with a biodegradable mouse that has been made from recyclable plastic and cork. It functions by using some piezoelectric components which produce kinetic energy every time we scroll or move it.

Cardboard Vacuum Cleaner:

Jake Tyler designs the extraordinary cardboard vacuum cleaner known as the Vax EV. This vacuum cleaner is an eco-friendly product, as it has been made out of recycled cardboard got from the shipping containers. Its machinery is also made from nylon plastic that is known to replace injection molding process with rapid process manufacturing.

Eco Turntables:

Designers Sennheiser and Mathew Lim have joined together to design a music combo that has turntables and headphones made from biodegradable products like bio-plastic, felt and fiber-wood. What makes the biodegradable products even more eco-friendly is that it comes in a box that has also been made from recycled wood.

Environmental pollution is a topic that needs a serious thought. The sooner people realize the ill effects of waste accumulation, the better. Manufacture and use of biodegradable products should be encouraged and appreciated, so that more and more people head toward the eco-friendly way. These biodegradable products are easy to manufacture, less expensive and harmless to the environment. If we really want to save our planet, being eco-friendly is the only way out.

About the author:

Samantha Harper is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of gadgets. Recently an article on green energy attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on kawasaki disease.

Greenpeace, an environmental organization, had started a campaign against the company two years ago arguing that the massive energy used by the company to power its infrastructure is a significant contributor to environmental pollution and climate change. Greenpeace, through its “Unfriend Facebook” campaign, managed to get support from more than 700,000 people for this issue and forced Facebook to change its energy policies.

On April 20, 2011, Greenpeace published a report titled “How dirty is your data” (embedded below), which explored the energy choices that powers cloud computing and examined the clean energy index of various cloud powered IT giants. Facebook was given a clean energy index of 13.8% with its coal intensity shooting up to 53.2%. Following image is a screenshot of the report published by Greenpeace on “Energy Choices That Power Cloud Computing” and indicates the ratings given to various cloud computing companies.

Clean Energy Index Report

Embedded below is the complete report published by greenpeace international.

Facebook’s commitment towards the use of renewable energy and its responsibility towards environmental issues raises the bar for other IT and cloud computing companies such as Apple, IBM, Google, Microsoft, Amazon and Twitter to clean energy powered services.

These characteristics reflects the best possible conditions of sustainable life on any star discovered so far by the astronomers. The discovery team was lead by William Borucki of Nasa and is a part of Nasa’s Kepler Mission. Alan Boss from Carnegie Institute was also a part of the team which discovered this habitable super-earth.

Key characteristics of this habitable Planet Kepler-22b:

• This planet appears to be a large rocky star with surface temperature of about 72⁰ Fahrenheit (40⁰ C).
• The discovered planet orbits a sun like star (host star) with an orbital period of 290 days. The orbital period of our earth is 365 days.
• The host star is a G5 star and is 600 light-years away from us.
• The host star is only slightly smaller than our sun and is 25% less luminous than sun.
• The discovered habitable planet is 15% closer to its host star than the earth from its sun.
• Due to these two counter-acting conditions; 1) host star being 25% less luminous than sun and 2) discovered planet is 15% closer to its host star, the surface temperature is sustainable like earth.
• This planet appears to be a rocky planet so it can have life supporting capabilities. Numerous other planets orbiting in habitable zone have been discovered in the past but majority of those were gaseous planets with least capability to support life forms.
• Liquid water is expected to exist on the surface of this planet since this planet orbits in the middle of star’s habitable zone. This is another positive aspect of life forms supporting capabilities.

The diagram below compares the solar system of Kepler-22b with our solar system.

Kepler-22b Solar System

Image Credit: NASA/Ames/JPL-Caltech

This discovery is another supporting event of the fact that we are not alone in this universe and this universe might be crowded with life. With Nasa Kepler Mission’s success in discovering life supporting habitable planets, we can hope of finding our alien friends sooner or later. This discovery also supports the theory of parallel universes that projects the idea of multiple universes.

LED Technology

LED technology (Light Emitting Diodes) is making strong waves in the energy sector and is bringing about a revolution in lighting technology. The world is on its way to turning green and engineers across the world are constantly working on inventing new technologies and improving the existing ones. LED technology is one such invention that is being hailed as the “Absolute Green Technology”.

What are LEDs?

LEDs or light emitting diodes are semiconductor devices which produce light through the use of low energy means. When electrons pass through the LED, the electric current is turned into light. LED technology was introduced in 1962 though it has not been commercially exploited like its conventional counterparts. In the sections below, we will demystify this wonderful and environment friendly technology.

Why LED?

The conventional incandescent lighting is inefficient and has a high carbon footprint. When the incandescent lighting was introduced, this technology was instant hit and it reduced the cost and wastage of energy. But the goals were different at that time because the technology was still evolving and the environmental impacts didn’t have much concerns. Today, when the world is facing sever climate change consequences and population explosion, the goals are different and policies have changed.

Conventional incandescent light bulbs loose energy in the form of heat and they also have a high carbon footprint. The incandescent light bulbs were replaced by Florescent or CFLs which again were hailed as the environment friendly light sources. CFLs have almost replaced the incandescent lighting technology in the current scenario and to an extent they have helped in saving the environment. But the problem with CFLs is that only a certain number of gases posses the property of “fluorescence” and most of them are harmful to humans (e.g. Phosphorus).

Why LED Technology is Green and Eco-friendly?

LED technology has been globally recognized as extremely clean and eco-friendly because of following reasons:

• LEDs consume less electricity for producing light compared to CFLs and incandescent bulbs, thereby carbon dioxide emissions are low per units of light generated.
• The luminous efficiency of LED is highest with 130 Lumens/watt.
• With light output ratio of nearly 80-85%, LEDs are the most energy efficient in converting energy into light.
• LEDs are semiconductor devices so there are no harmful gases or toxic substances like mercury in the device.
• LEDs have a very long lifespan of nearly 1,00,000 hours, so are cost effective as well.
• LEDs do not emit UV or infrared radiations therefore they are completely harmless.
• Unlike CFLs and incandescent bulbs, LEDs do not attract insects and bugs.

Video Tutorial – LED Technology Basics:

I have found this great video tutorial by Robert Schleicher, DiCon LED’s Vice President of Product Development, who is explaining the basics of LED technology with the help of audio visual aids. It’s a great video tutorial for understanding how LEDs are manufactured, how LEDs works and most importantly why LEDs are cheap and eco-friendly?

Click on the image below to view and download full size infographic

Brief introduction to present scenario:

With the release of forth assessment report of IPCC, it is now clear that the climate is warming rapidly and the major source still remains carbon dioxide emission. To achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees, the emissions should be cut down by 3% each year over next half century. Governments of various nations have agreed upon cutting down emissions but instead the emission of greenhouse gases have gone up by 6% last year. This is a whopping amount considering the targets set up by climatologists.

It doesn’t matter what policies are agreed upon to restrict GHG emissions, the introduction of low carbon emitting energy technologies will play a critical role to avoid dangerous anthropogenic damage to the climate systems. The only options for clean energy supply are nuclear energy and renewable energy resources that rely totally upon the naturally available and inexhaustable sources. Renewables can be developed into sustainable energy sources that can reduce the burden of controlling greenhouse gases.

Though the initial cost of renewables are mugh higher than fossil fuels, but in the long run the returns are much higher than their counterpart. The raw source of energy is free such as solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy etc and most importantly the output is clean and has no impact on environment.

Following are some recommended articles for detailed study:

Climate Change:

How Earth’s Temperature is Changing – Past 150 Years History

Climate change far worse than thought before

Potential of Climate Change Mitigation – The IPCC Report

What is Carbon emissions trading (CET)?

Climate change basics – What’s actually happening

What are Climate Models and how they work?

Impacts of Climate Change: Why be Concerned?

Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity and Ecosystems – Polar Regions

Climate Change Mitigation Measures – Solutions

Greenhouse Gases:

What is Greenhouse Effect and why it is important to earth?

Global Warming – An introduction to Green House Gases

How to reduce greenhouse gases emission into atmosphere?

Ultimate guide on enhanced greenhouse effect and greenhouse chemistry

Carbon Sinks – Removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions at record level – Catastrophic Climate Change May Occur

Residence Times and Global Warming Potential of greenhouse gases

Alternate Energy Resources:

Why we should switch to renewable energy sources

The urgency of climate change mitigation is now far more apparent with new observations indicating that on many fronts, climate change and its impacts are occurring faster than expected. The global emission of heat trapping carbon dioxide has jumped to a record amount, according to the latest research conducted by US Department of Energy. Data suggests that the emissions of greenhouse gases have crossed the worst case scenario limits outlined by climatologists.

Increased anthropogenic production of other gases such as methane (CH4) also contributes to climate change, but carbon dioxide has been a focus of concern because it is emitted in much greater volume. In year 2010 alone, the world pumped in nearly 564m tons extra carbon into the atmosphere than the emission in year 2009. This indicates an increased rate of whopping 6%. Three nation that contributed majorly in greenhouse gases emissions were US, China and India.

Climate Change Mitigation Measures:

By this time, you should have felt the need for climate change mitigation and proposing measures which can curb the emission of greenhouse gases into atmosphere. Outlined below are some of the measures suggested by IPCC:

• Implementing cost-effective fuel switching measures from high carbon fuels to low or zero carbon fuels such as renewables.
• Implementing energy efficiency measures and providing global platforms for energy efficiency improvement programs.
• Improving existing policies and practices to limit emissions e.g controlling subsidies on fuels.
• Measures to raise and expand carbon sinks that trap carbon dioxide such as forest management and proper land management etc.
• Improving technology and developing techniques to control methane, nitrous oxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from the source.
• Pre-planning for the adaptation to climate change consequences in the worst case scenario.
• Promoting the use of non-fossil energy sources and conducting research to reduce emissions from existing fossil fuels.
• Revising and implementing current energy efficiency standards globally to check emissions.
• International collaboration among various climate groups and organizations to better understand the causes and impacts of climate change.
• Continued research to reduce critical scientific uncertainties and improve existing climate models for better predictions of climate change.
• Promoting environmental education and awareness training in schools and colleges for climate change and associated environmental issues.
• Conducting volunteer programs and forming regional action groups to implement climate change mitigation measures.

The earth’s climate is so complex that human alterations to the atmosphere amount to an “experiment” having an unknown and possibly life threatening outcome. Alteration on a regional level will not have its impacts on regional level alone, climate change is a global phenomenon. So all the nations should work together under collaboration and support mitigation measures for climate change.

United States alone consumes over $11 billion in batteries annually, powering everything from children’s toys to automobiles. As we all know batteries are composed of toxic to very toxic substances such as cadmium, lead, and sulfuric acid; batteries have the potential to harm our environment and human health when decomposed in landfills or other solid waste disposal facility.

It is due to this hazardous waste we must recycle our batteries. Every type of battery available in market and in common use such as Alkaline, Lead Acid, Nickel-Cadmium, Lithium Ion etc. can be recycled. Not all batteries can be recycled 100% but to some extent. But even that would help the human beings to control the environmental degradation.

Environmental Hazards of Batteries:

Look around every corner of your home, you will find at least one electronic product that is powered by a battery. Now the big question is what you do with those batteries once they are exhausted? If your answer is you throw them into the dustbin or municipal waste, then you must stop doing this because you are contaminating the environment.

• As I said above, batteries contain heavy toxic compounds, if they are disposed off improperly, they can cause serious land pollution. Listed below are potential environmental hazards associated with batteries:

• If landfilled with solid waste, the toxic substances can leach into soil and ground water contaminating the ground water.

• It can contaminate the vegetation with poisonous substances such as mercury and lead which can cause serious health problems.

• Poisonous substances can also enter food chains through microbes, insects that come in contact with household and municipal waste.

What can be done?

Try to start with the most basic approach “Prevention is better than Cure”. Before going to buy a new battery, make sure if you don’t have one stocked at home.

You can also go for a rechargeable battery wherever it can be used and reduce the quantity of waste. But remember, rechargeable batteries also contain toxic metals.

Do not throw used batteries with solid waste. You can find a local recycling center or contact your city municipal department to know where can you recycle your batteries.

Impacts of Climate Change

The Arctic and Antarctica contain ~20% of the world’s land area. Although similar in many ways, the two polar regions are different in that the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land, whereas Antarctica is a frozen continent surrounded by ocean (IPCC reports include the sub-Antarctic islands in this region). The polar regions include some very diverse landscapes and are a zone marginal for many species; however, many organisms thrive in their terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Antarctica is the driest and the coldest continent and is devoid of trees. The Arctic includes the boreal forests, tussock grasslands, and shrub lands.

Impacts of Climate Change on Polar Regions:

Projected Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity and Vulnerable Ecosystems in Polar Regions include:

• Climate change in polar regions (especially in the Arctic) is expected to be among the greatest of any region on the Earth and will have major physical and ecological impacts.

• Climate change is likely to result in alterations to many ecosystems in the Arctic during the 21st century. Tundra could shrink by two-thirds; boreal forest could advance further to the north; and some of the northern wetlands and peatlands could dry, whilst others may appear as a result of changing hydrology and drainage conditions.

• Animals that migrate great distances, such as whales and seabirds, may be affected through changes in food availability during migration. Many of the world’s shorebird species and other polar species breed on the Arctic tundra, which may be affected by changes in habitat distribution. Wildlife migration into the area will be limited by habitat availability.

• Some of the streams that currently freeze to their beds will retain a layer of water beneath the ice, which will be beneficial to invertebrates and fish populations. Thinner ice cover will increase the solar radiation penetrating to the underlying water, thereby increasing photosynthetic production of oxygen and reducing the potential for winter fish kills. However, a longer ice-free season will increase the depth of water mixing, and lead to lower oxygen concentrations and increased stress on Coldwater organisms. Warming will lead to a shortened ice season and decreased ice-jam flooding, which will benefit the many northern communities located near river floodplains. In contrast, reductions in the frequency and severity of ice-jam flooding would have a serious impact on northern riparian ecosystems—particularly the highly productive river deltas, where periodic flooding has been shown to be critical to the survival of adjacent lakes and ponds.

• Polar regions are highly vulnerable to climate change and have low adaptive capacity.

• Less sea ice will reduce ice edges, which are prime habitats for marine organisms in the polar regions.

• Permafrost will become warmer and is likely to reduce by 12–22% by the year 2050 due to climate change. Deeper seasonal thawing will improve the drainage conditions and stimulate the release of soil nutrients to biota. Drying or wetting associated with permafrost melt and drainage can be expected to reduce bryophyte communities (drying) or lead to an increase in their frequency where drainage is impeded. Equilibrium shift between moss, lichen, and herb communities can be expected.

• The decrease in the extent and thickness of sea ice may lead to changes in the distribution, age structure, and size of populations of marine mammals. In the Arctic, seal species that use ice for resting and polar bears that feed on seals are particularly at risk. In Antarctica, Crab-eater seals and Emperor penguins that are dependent on sea ice will be disadvantaged. By contrast, Chinstrap penguins in open water may increase in number. Due to the close relationship between seasonal sea-ice cover and dominance of either krill or salps, marine mammals such as whales, seals, and seabirds that depend on krill will be disadvantaged. Due to the importance of krill to many food chains, whole food webs of marine ecosystems may be adversely affected by climate change and increased levels of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation.

Source:  IPCC  (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)